thewelshie

Hmmm interesting, there are many conflicting views and opinions from all the you guys. Ok, well lets say if you're hired by a company based in Thailand who provides a work permit. And you are under a freelance contract, yet you work full time hours. So your not providing photographs for the foreign market but for the Thai market instead. If you have a work permit is it legal to work as a photographer? However it's still considered a prohibited occupation. I'm sure tax is an issue as well...

The best solution is to obviously keep it low key and continue on.

Thanks for all your replies.

I think the easiest thing to do is forget the word freelance as it complicates things. If a company hires you then you are an employee, not a freelancer.

If you have a work permit it is legal to work under the terms and conditions of the work permit. That means doing the specified job, with the specified job description, in the specified location.

If you could get a work permit, and I do not believe you could, then you would still be tied to the location of the business address. You would not be able to go anywhere you want and work.

Unless you got a Thailand wide work permit, which, again, would be impossible for your occupation as it is restricted to Thai people only.

So if you wanted to work in different provinces you would need a work permit for each province, which means your employer would need a branch office in each province - or you had more than one employer.

Seriously, you would end up tying yourself in knots going this route.

I will agree with you on this, but going back your comment obtaining a permit wouldn't be completely impossible. I think it is the case on not letting immigration find out, after that your pretty sorted. Unless you got a Thailand wide work permit, which, again, would be impossible for your occupation as it is restricted to Thai people only.

Every poser with an entry-level DSLR calls themself a photographer. They should round up the lot.

Then come for the 'film makers'.

Haha true that is very annoying.

What about the guys American and UK, who are on Twitter. They post pictures of their trips and travel in Thailand.

They put their names of the bottoms of the pictures. If you try to use the pictures, they ask for money ?

Yeah but I think that's very different. In my opinion you are only a professional Photographer if you earn a living as one. Sure there are a lot of talented people who are not professionals.

Hmmm interesting, there are many conflicting views and opinions from all the you guys. Ok, well lets say if you're hired by a company based in Thailand who provides a work permit. And you are under a freelance contract, yet you work full time hours. So your not providing photographs for the foreign market but for the Thai market instead. If you have a work permit is it legal to work as a photographer? However it's still considered a prohibited occupation. I'm sure tax is an issue as well...

The best solution is to obviously keep it low key and continue on.

Thanks for all your replies.

Hello all

I'm wondering if any of you could shed some light on the legality of being a freelance photographer in Thailand? From my understanding Photography and some other service occupations are prohibited and are under category B of the (Alien business law). These Occupations are only reserved for Thai Citizens, I understand the country should protect it's own people. Is it legal to work as a Photographer with a business visa? And if not what would be the penalty of being found out, fine or worse...

Thanks in advance